The colour returns to these pages after a brush with embracing the gloom. This collection of frames dominated by numerous hues of green is a hankering after the rich freshness of Spring and the return of life to the landscape. It’s a mix of shots from London’s Kew Gardens and the ivy-clad woods of Abney Park Cemetery among others.
You can also see a gallery of work called The blue collection
Another quick visit to London’s Kew Gardens, this time not for the dazzling colour of the waterlilies, but a simple leaf dotted with beads of moisture. I was on the hunt for this on another damp, drizzly April day, and Dermot spotted this. Time to stoop down and create a macro shot.
Another nearby leaf, plus a dripping succulent from one of the hothouses provided some more natural dampness, which I decided to render in monochrome.
Now I’ve read on many photography websites that it’s worth taking a water diffuser out on trips so you can replicate morning dew and moisture, particularly on plants.
I know that it doesn’t happen all the time, but I prefer to capture moisture when it actually happens and make the most of the opportunity I’ve been lucky enough to catch.
It could be an unusually damp April afternoon, or a foggy morning in November. It’s best to take your chance while it’s there.
Is it worth faking something as simple as a leaf dappled with water droplets? Maybe if you’re on a professional shoot and needs must to create an effect.
Personally, I prefer photography in the raw and as it happens. Do you have any strong views on this?
I decided to defy the abysmal weather and make a trip to Kew Gardens, a real urban oasis and home of some amazing plant life in south-west London.
Even if it’s a chilly, sunless day, you can take refuge in the hot houses and be transported to the tropics. There is a relatively small glasshouse which houses a pond and beautiful collection of waterlillies. Cue a photographic indulgence in colour, form and reflections.
Click on the first image to launch the full-size gallery.
But staying true to the spirit of previous posts about floral captures, a monchrome version of the darkest lily was created. I think it brings out the contrast between the dark water and the brilliance of the bloom.
What do you think?
